William a



" Dec. 22, 1925. 1,566,702

W. A. SMMONS GLOTHESLINE ADJUSTER Filed Sept. 15, 1924 line Adjusteis,

Patented Dec. 22, 1925.,

s PATENT oFFlcE.

WILLIAM A. simmons, or Arafa.aaaumori, lKansas. 1

CLOTHESLTLNE ADJUSTER.

A appimetm med september 15, 192'4.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it -known that I, WILLIAM A. SIM- MoNs, a citizen of the United States, resid` ing at Pleasanton, in the county of Linn and State of Kansas,'have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothesof which the following is a specification.

y invention relates to clothes-line adjusters andn Objectis to provide a device of this characterfor holding one end of a clothes-line and taking up slack, so that the uualdclothes-line props need not be em- P Oye A further object is to provide a device of this character of simple and inexpensive construction and which is. reliable in operation, and in order that the invention may be readily understood reference will now be had to the accon'ipanying` drawing, in

y'plurality of holes which: l.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the device associated with a clothes-line and supports. Fig. 2 is a broken detail side elevation of the device showing the operation thereof in full and dotted lines.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the device with some of the parts removed. I Fig. 4 is a broken longitudinal section on line IV-IV of Fig. 3.

Referring now in detail to the various parts, A andB designate two stationary supports in the form of posts which are spaced a suitable distance apart. C designates a clothes-linewhich may consist oi? one end attached in o the post A, as by rope or wire and has any suitable manner t an eye-bolt -2. l

The opposite end ofthe clothes-line Cruns over a guide sheave 1 and is attachedto a bolt 6 carried by a hand lever 8, which/has a 10 to permit of adjusttowards or away from aid lever 8. The opposite end of the lever 8 is mounted on a fulcrum 12 carried by a elevis 14 secured t-o the post B. The fulcrumed end of the lever 8 is' strengthened by a U-shaped metallic reinforcement. 16 through Wh' h the bolt 6 and the fulcrum 12 extend. T e reinforcement 16 is firmly secured to the ment of the bolt 6 the free end of s Serial No. 737,827.

levers 8 by suitable means such as bolts 19. Another bolt 18 extends through saidreinforcement 16 for engagement by a curved l in the lever 8 and has ratchet teeth 22. One end of the latch 2O is provided with a handle 24, While its opposite end is fulcrumed at 26 to a clevis 28 secured to the post B.

The guide sheave 4 is mounted in a hood 00 30 loosely connected to a hook 32 engaging an eye-bolt 34 secured to the upper portion of the post B. 4

In practice one end of the clothes-line C is attached to the eye-bolt 2, and its op- 05 posite end is run over the guide sheave 4 and attached to the bolt 6, While the lever 8 is in raised position. When the clothesline C is attached to the bolt 6 the slack is taken up so that as said clothes-line becomes stretched from use the slack therein may be taken up by adjusting the lever 8 downwardly, it being held at any point of its adjustment by the iatch 20, one of the teeth 22 of which automatically engages 75 over the bolt 18. By raising the lever 8 to the dotted line position Fig. 2, the clothesline C is lowered, thereby making it more convenient to hang clothes thereon or remove them therefrom, after which said clothes-line may again be drawn taut. Should the clothes-line C stretch: from use and slack occur vafter'the lever 8 has been adjusted downwardly to the end of its movement, such slack may be taken up by placing the bolt 6 in one of the lower holes 10. When it is desired to raise the lever 8, the handle 24 is first grasped and raised to lift the latch 20 out of engagement with the bolt 18.

From the foregoing description it is ap- ,90 parent that I have provided a clothes-line adjuster embodying-the advantages above pointed out, and While I have shown and described th'e preferred construction, combination and arrangement of parts, I reserve the right to 'make such-changes as properly fall within the spirit and scope of theinvention as claimed.

` Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

In adeviee of the character described, a

atch 20, which extends through a slotl 21 d5 Stationary support, zL-lever opel-ably assocated with said' support and having u seriee of tranevero holes and a slot, an elemen(` adapte to he played through- :my of said. holes und io which n clothes-line is attached, a. member fixed to the level' and extending through the slot therein, and a curved latch operahlyfavssociated with the stationary support and having I 'atehet teeth for engavglw said member secured to the' l@ lever to hoh? the latter at any point of its, adjustment.

1n testimony whereof l affix my signature.

WILLIAM A.. SKMMONS. 

